October 3, 2024
We knew the time would come when we would be asking for a little bit of rainfall, and that time is now. With virtually no precipitation for the month of September and temperatures well above average, we could use just a little bit of rain to give the crops a quick drink of water as we wrap up the season. A nice gentle rain over night would be welcomed, but we know we have absolutely zero control of what Mother Nature will send our way.
The blessing from such a long stretch of dry weather at this time of year is that we are able to get pumpkins and squash out of the fields quite easily. They require very little cleaning before we ship them out to our customers, which is a huge time saver for us.
Winding Down, But Not Winding Up
Our harvest season is winding down, but as the calendar flipped to October this week, we are miraculously still harvesting some of your summer favorites. If you’re looking to get one more taste of Minnesota Sweet Corn, make sure to pick some up this weekend as it’s likely our final weekend of corn for the year. Tomatoes, cucumbers, green beans, watermelon, and even strawberries are still available, can you believe it?
We know we can’t hang onto summer much longer, but we’ll keep these couple of crops going just a little bit longer because we aren’t ready to give up the freshness quite yet. While we don’t see any signs of season-ending temperatures soon, we know that can change at any moment.
Fall Produce Takes Center Stage
While we are still excited about having summer produce, it’s the fall produce that is taking center stage right now.
- After losing the majority of our cauliflower crop to flooding this year, we were finally able to harvest some and it tastes delicious.
- Along with that, the Brussels sprouts are ready too.
- Potatoes, apples, and winter squash are highlights at this time of year.
Eating with the seasons is one of the best things about shopping local in our opinion.
Next time you’re at one of our Garden Centers or Vegetable Stands, make sure to take a look at the Brussels sprouts. Even if you aren’t a fan, it might be a fun purchase just to show the kids how they are grown.
We often refer to them as the Midwest Palm Tree, but did you know they are grown on stalks? Surprisingly, this shocks many people, but just snap the bulbs off and give our Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon recipe a try for a wonderful fall side dish.
The Calendar Always Wins
The seasons may be confused, bouncing back and forth between summer and fall, but we know that the calendar wins in the end. That means cleanup around the farm has begun and by this time next month, it will look entirely different around here.
Even though we’re still harvesting some crops, it’s much less than it was even just a couple of weeks ago. That leaves more time for end-of-the-season tasks like taking plants out of the high tunnels and working and prepping the ground for winter. Soon we’ll begin skinning the high tunnels, which entails removing all the plastic to prepare them for their winter hibernation.
While the rain we mentioned earlier would be nice, this stretch of nice weather we’ve had can continue for the duration of the month to make our clean up just a bit easier on everyone ... we wouldn’t mind that, either!
